Chapter 21: The Duel of Ice and Flames
Mike sat silently in the academy courtyard, his gaze fixed on the flickering mana screen in his hand. It displayed the fragments he had obtained inside the Misty Mountain Gate. His fingers hovered over the information.
"I need more... just a few more to awaken the legacy skill," he muttered. The fragments from the Misty Mountain Gate weren't enough.
But Hard Mode...
He clenched his fists. It required more strength. More levels.
His status panel flashed open.
-Data Panel- Name: Mike Race:
Human Realm: Tier 2 [Level 18]
Mana Heart: Crystalline Mana Heart (Hidden Water Branch)
Strength: 189 | Physique: 178 | Agility: 172 | Mana: 180
Skills: Crystalline Sword, Wave of Lotus, Current Surge Legacy Skill: ??? (Unavailable – Requires Essence of Binding)
"Still not enough to solo or team fight the Hard Mode," he thought grimly. He swiped through the quest board, seeking high-reward tasks. Some were tempting: subjugation missions, relic hunts, and beast exterminations.
Then he paused.
"All these require at least five days. If I leave now... I'll miss the Freshmen Competition."
A heavy sigh escaped him. "Tch... guess I'll have to make do. I'll train here until the competition."
He made his way to the open elemental chamber. Blue Eagle Academy's training facility was well-known throughout the empire, boasting high-grade resources tailored to rare mana hearts. Among these was the Elemental Training Complex, where students could train in mana-dense environments designed to match their affinities. The elemental chamber itself was divided into six sectors, each attuned to a different elemental frequency. The crystalline pillars around the water zone buzzed with concentrated water mana, drawing on reservoirs hidden beneath the academy's foundations. Mike stepped into the water zone, flooding it with his elemental affinity.
As he was focusing on circulating mana...
"Mike."
A familiar voice.
Mike turned. James stood at the entrance of the chamber, arms folded. His red cloak shimmered with subtle heat.
"We haven't officially met. I'm James, ranked third in our class. And I have a problem with you."
Mike blinked. "What kind of problem?"
"You. Walking in here like you belong in the top class just because you placed high in the entrance exam. You haven't proven anything since."
"I didn't come here to compete."
"Too bad," James sneered. "Because I'm challenging you. Right now."
[Duel Request: James vs Mike]
Mike hesitated. The elemental zone dimmed around him.
James's Data Panel appeared on the challenge screen:
-Data Panel- Name: James
Realm: Tier 2 [Level 18]
Mana Heart: Sun Fire Mana Heart (Rare Fire Branch - Destruction)
Strength: 188 | Physique: 176 | Agility: 170 | Mana: 182
Native Skill: Solar Blaze (Passive) - Increases damage during daylight
Skills: Flame Burst, Solar Shot, Blazing Arc, Frenzy (Unique Skill)
[Frenzy: Temporarily boosts all stats by 30% and grants immunity to minor injuries. Duration: 30 seconds. Cooldown: 1 hour.]
Mike took a step forward. "Alright. I accept."
The arena dome formed instantly, locking them in.
Spectators gathered. Word spread quickly.
At Blue Eagle Academy's central tower...
"A duel? Between Mike and James?" Eira turned in shock. Auline was already dragging her toward the viewing crystal.
The battle began.
James made the first move. "Flame Burst!"
A roaring vortex of flame erupted from his palm, spiraling toward Mike like a crashing inferno. The temperature in the dome spiked. Heatwaves shimmered as the attack surged.
Mike's eyes sharpened. "Current Surge!"
A blast of swirling water launched from his palm, crashing into the flames. The collision generated a burst of steam that engulfed the battlefield in an opaque fog. Mike charged forward through the white mist, his Crystalline Sword forming with a shimmer of blue light.
A flicker—then, James appeared within the fog, unfazed.
"Solar Shot!"
A glowing sphere of compressed sunlight launched like a cannonball. Mike twisted his body mid-step, narrowly avoiding a direct hit. The edge of the blast grazed his shoulder, burning through the outer layer of his jacket.
He hissed. "He's fast. Precise, too."
Their weapons clashed in a chaotic blur—sword against flame-forged fists. Sparks flew as elemental mana tore across the arena.
James launched a flurry of flame-coated punches, each one forcing Mike back. Mike retaliated with a series of calculated slashes, his sword humming with crystalline power. When their attacks met, explosions of pressure rang through the arena.
The crowd roared with excitement, but tension rippled beneath every cheer.
In the viewing tower, Eira leaned forward, fists clenched tight. "James is going too far."
Auline's eyes narrowed. "Wait... He's activating something."
James suddenly roared.
"Frenzy!"
Golden flames erupted around him, cloaking his body in a volatile aura. His eyes burned red with reckless power.
-Temporary Stats Boosted - Strength: 198 | Agility: 195 | Mana: 205
James lunged, movement blurring. His first punch sent a shockwave across the floor, cracking the tiles beneath Mike's feet.
Mike raised his sword, but the impact split it in two.
He tumbled backward, rolling across the arena floor. Blood dripped from his lip as he pushed himself up, only to see James already in the air, descending like a meteor.
Boom!
Mike barely formed a water shield before the flaming strike crashed into him, sending him skidding across the ground.
"Damn it... I can't match his raw power," he gasped, chest heaving.
James laughed, wild and relentless. "This is it?! You call this top-tier?! You're nothing but a fluke!"
He charged again, fire coiling around his fists like vipers.
Mike gritted his teeth. He jumped back, deflecting blow after blow, his body aching from every hit. The heat burned into his skin despite his elemental affinity. His mind raced.
He had to think. He had to adapt.
In the stands, Jek rose to his feet. "Mike! Don't lose!"
Inside the dome, Mike's vision blurred. Everything felt heavy, but somewhere deep inside his mana core, something pulsed.
"Focus... Crystalline... It's not just defense... what is it trying to become...?"
James descended on him again—an overhead strike with both fists, flames roaring.
But this time, Mike didn't dodge.
He knelt, focused.
Mana swirled wildly.
BOOM!
The impact hit—but a surge of crystalline energy burst outward from Mike's body.
A wave of blinding light spread through the dome.
When the glow faded, Mike stood in the center, encased in elegant translucent armor that shimmered like polished diamond.
[Skill Comprehended: Crystalline Battle Armor (Passive/Active)] Effect: Converts water-based mana into crystalline protection. Reduces elemental damage by 40%. Enhances skill casting speed by 20%.
The crowd gasped.
James stumbled back. "You think armor will save you?!"
He dashed forward—faster, wilder.
Mike met him head-on.
Their fists collided—fire against crystal. Their attacks lit the dome in flashes of red and blue. With each clash, the floor cracked. Shards of mana burst like lightning bolts. The arena trembled.
Mike's sword returned, sharper, reinforced by his armor's core. Every swing met James's relentless barrage with precise timing.
James roared, pushing harder, but for the first time—Mike didn't budge.
Then—
A final, deafening clash.
The arena filled with smoke and steam.
The barrier shimmered under the pressure.
The crystal screens flickered.
Silence.
Spectators held their breath.
The outcome—unseen.
…
Far from the clamor of the spectator stands, deep within a secluded wing of the Blue Eagle Academy's upper sanctum, a hidden chamber pulsed with arcane technology. Dark walls of obsidian stone were inscribed with ancient runes that faintly glowed whenever mana was near.
Inside, a large crystal orb projected a holographic image of the arena—every movement of Mike and James rendered in vivid detail. The steam, the flame, the burst of crystalline energy—it was all visible to a select few.
Four robed figures surrounded the projection, their faces hidden beneath hoods embroidered with blue sigils—the Elder Circle.
One leaned forward slightly, his voice barely above a whisper. "The boy... awakened it."
Another tapped a gloved finger against the air beside the image. A data panel of Mike's crystallized state flickered beside the projection. "Crystalline Battle Armor... not related to the legacy fragments, but... it's remarkable."
"It's a rare display of in-battle comprehension under extreme pressure," murmured a female voice. "No guidance. No script. Just raw, adaptive instinct."
"Most wouldn't awaken such structure unless pushed to their limits with weeks of directed training," another said, skeptical. "Yet he achieved it mid-duel... against a Tier 2 enhanced frenzy user."
The figures fell silent as another pulled up a spectral rendering of the Essence of Binding.
"It still hasn't responded," one noted. "Even though the boy has begun collecting the fragments himself."
Then, the eldest among them, seated at the rear on a throne of ice-carved stone, finally spoke.
"Observe this well. The armor proves his mind is adaptive... but it is the legacy skill that must choose the vessel. Not the other way around."
He leaned forward.
"Prepare a Watch Order. No interference until the choice is made. But if he survives this duel... and continues gathering the fragments... then the Essence may soon respond. We must be ready."